Studio Be

"So, what’s this place about?The studio—in a huge warehouse space in the Bywater neighborhood—showcases the work of local artist Brandon Odums (also known as BMike). He specializes in large-scale murals and paintings illustrating scenes from black culture in the city and black cultural leaders and icons. That sounds cool. How’s the space?It’s a warehouse space, so it’s best visited when the weather is comfortable. The layout and lighting shows off these impressively scaled and rendered works to their full effect, and without too much foot traffic passing through, you're free to move around in relative comfort. The art’s the main thing, of course. How is it?The exhibits show off the whole range of Odum’s talent, with mixed media pieces including sculpture and video, but the real stars of the show—and the works for which he is most famous—are the floor-to-ceiling portraits. I’m interested. At the end of the day, what—or who—is this place best for?The gallery is an inspiring example of community art and a real breath of fresh air compared to the relative stuffiness of some galleries in the official "art" districts. It will reward people ready to explore beyond the main commercial art drags, especially fans of street art, black culture, and truly awe-inspiring, large-scale portraiture." - Paul Oswell